Demonstration areas planned 100Mbps broadband

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

Sat, Jul 06, 2013 - Page 3

The National Communications Commission yesterday announced that it will focus on establishing demonstration areas for a 100 megabits per second (Mbps) broadband Internet service and cable television digitization, hoping to reach higher penetration rates this year.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said promoting a 100Mbps broadband Internet service to all households across the nation is an important national policy, in which Chunghwa Telecom Co plans to invest up to NT$200 billion (US$6.6 billion) in the next 10 years for its related operations.

The penetration rate of the 100Mbps broadband Internet service reached 80 percent at the end of May, he said, adding that the goal is to reach 85 percent by the end of the year and the last remaining 15 percent in the near future.

The commission said the ministry will also establish demonstration areas in which every household can have access to a 100Mbps broadband Internet service from at least one service provider, and discount measures will be provided to consumers who apply for the service.

The ministry will work with local governments to promote the policy in a number of areas with a high population density, such as New Taipei City’s (新北市) Linkou District (林口), Taoyuan City (桃園市), Greater Taichung’s Nantun District (南屯), Greater Tainan’s Eastern District (東區) and Greater Kaohsiung’s Gushan District (鼓山).

Another important goal is to increase the penetration rate of cable television digitization by establishing some demonstration areas, in which every household can receive a digital cable TV service from at least one cable TV operator, the commission said.

It said it estimates that 39 cable service providers will apply to participate in the promotion in these selected areas in the second half of this year.